River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-03
TIE BASILISK.
CHATTER WV.
\ STORY OF TO-DAY.
N rnE NoETm TowER.

n THE NORTH TOWER
Bound, blindfoldcd, imprisoned! Mary
FortcScue helpless in the hands of her
oppressors, Such were the thoughts
which with maddening pertinacity beat
in upon my brain rs / lay helplessly
straining at the cords that bound me.
1 was weak ANA uncrved, and the very
eNi-uucy of the circumstances, instead
Of comforting unwonted power upon
me seemed to paralyze me. laying a
crushing weight upon my efforts, and.
Cor time upon my VIII.
After a period of fruitless and
fatisuing effort to loosen the cords with
which l was bound, 1 called what
patience could command, the
Of dire neccS>ity-to my aid.
and, encouraged by the reflection that
was at amy rate outstanding my
strength. | lay still, and endeavoured to
reflect calmly upon my position.
1iy own fate did not trouble me
greatly Two attempts had been made
upon my life. and it was evident
enough that in that house of secret
way- and means. Of INSCRIPTIONS re-
source and INSCRIPTIONS devotion
no security for my own safety
could be obtained, save by
flight. and that security seemed suflf-
cieutly unattainable But the agony
of the situation lay I'm the imminent
danger to which Mary was exposed.
The words Of hernote. the heartrending
appeal Of that little bitter-sweet cry for
help. burned before my blinded eyes in
the darkness Carried off to the Con-
tiuent in the power. possibly under the
conduct. of PlOwitzl What wOrse fate
could fear for her? A. lay revolving
the horrible condition of affairs, nearly
m1Jdeucd toy the conflict Of love. and
fear. and rage, and resentment, | heard
distinctly the sound of wheels on the
gravel somewhere below. Doubtless
the carriage, come to take her away.
The sound revived nv benumbed
energies | writned and wrestled with
my bonds MI Intellectually. The cords
cut me. the sweat stood large upon my
forehead. In my struggles I pictured
the scene which was being enacted be-
lo,y-the face Of Mary. pale. shrinking,
looking in vain for the help which could
not COME Plowitz odiouSly polite. or
po~-ibly tn an extreme case, Odiously
5u~uleut. The ruilianly guardian, who
had robbed his ward and was now an
activ, dyent in her ahductiUn-ih pale
beautiful face Of that unwOmanlv
woman. the eyii genius of the poor Girl
AGAINST whom J could imagine no
woman heart being >iseled ter
sib.y vividge~- imagination painted the
events In which / was pOWeTlesS Ia in
trrr,ny. the more terribly Is ] knew
from experience chat fancy was re-
spuu~iblr Tor ppnc Of the terrOrs that ]
realised
5ilrk, Again the sound Of wheels
Ua.Ei-tikal,c. though distant, rs if
mu3',i hv au intervening angle Of the
ha louicr pr moment, then
du..u -hiug iu di>tinctnc-s. As Of Il
ctlia-r rapidly driving away. She
WA gone. Beyond question she was
gone
Was it fanes chat seemed to show a
s.a-euiug of the cords that bound me?
- Nv struggles had had some effect
Al last A. last the rigOur of my
E1ljtye was relaxed ] ceased my
struggles to recover energy for fresh
siIUrI Carefully fearfully, | again
soy % set myself free. Thank God.
e. cords are louSenedi With care and
flaticner / now set about the task of re-
covering the freedom Of nay limbs.
soon / am rewarded. and sooner than
dared to hope ! have got one arm
fre,. Ia fcycri-a haste ! am about 20
rct - work ou the other cords. when |
hear q step 1T the door. aad hand
upon thr lacE Quickly | entangled
thg released arm with lis cast-oft fJsten-
sings. and place t. under Bc. Then the
dgor j. opened. and step advances
iuto tile room. The bandage over my
ev,> +, not 81 deity fastened that can
not make pit the presence Of a light.
II Il brought close To me, and rustic
~ ,Ir,~> tell, me that my visitor is a
woman.
Who il it," / ask.
Your ga1ler. Mr. Coplestone," says
a.. voice Of TIE Ba>ili>k.
why ann / hcrr2''
1T i for your safety NV father
sd IIeTr PIowilz are your essmies-
You have not acted with discretion,
dr COplestOne.
There was an unwarranted touch of
sarcasm in the way she spoke which
4ngcred me.
..How can / act with discretion
here What Is discretion in house of
mystery and cruelty like this?
Discretion here. n elsewhere, is to
know ones friends. she said.
Are you mv friends?
You should have known that long
ago.
Then why am treated thus?"
i have told yoU-it Is for your
safety"
1t Is for my safety that 1 am blind
folded. rs vel as hound2'
1T was better -. But there is no
need for /, now. l viii take off the
bandage from your eyes. if you will
give me a little gratitude
Il will give you no gratitude What
have they done with Nary?
.Reallv. Mr.. Coplestone, you are
given to forgetting your position here.
Miss Forteseue has gone away; but she
did not desire me 70 inform you Of her
movements.
she said this with icy GOODNESS. and
was moving away. Suddenly she re
turned. She stopped over me. and took
of the covering from my eyes
Then 1 saw her. pale and beau
tifui, gazingjown into my face with an
expression at once naughty and beseeeh-
Ing. ready to assume either look en-
tirely.
gazed silently at her. Certainly
she was very lovely. You are in my
my power" she said at last. L love to
have people in my power and" here
she looked euriously threatening.
love your'
Then let me 90. I shall 60 mad il
I am kept here while she is in danger
Forgive met for she looked panied
and flushed deepred for amoment, -
am in your power in way, but dis